The Sweet Briar College Spring Film Series 2005 continues this weekend with "The Motorcycle Diaries." The film is based on the diary Ernesto "Che" Guevara kept as a medical student on a journey taken with a friend around South America. Starring Gael Garcia Bernal and directed by Walter Salle, "Diaries" is both a love letter to the continent and a call to activism.
This year's film series ranges from the realism of "The Motorcycle Diaries" to the darkly humorous "Shaun of the Dead." The selection committee made an effort to balance the lineup between recently popular films and lesser-known but perhaps more challenging offerings, said series coordinator Lisa Johnston, SBC associate director of libraries.
"We end with ‘Finding Neverland,' with everybody's favorite man, Johnny Depp," she said. Leading up to that are several diverse titles that offer students and the general public high-quality films at no cost. "We're trying not to be ‘Dollar Theater North,' " she said.
All films are shown in Tyson Auditorium, Benedict Hall, at 7:30 p.m. Here is the full schedule:
- Jan. 21-22 - "Shaun of the Dead": A man decides to turn his moribund life around by winning back his ex-girlfriend, reconciling his relationship with his mother and dealing with an entire community that has returned from the dead to eat the living in this horror-comedy. Rated R
- Feb. 11-12 - "Ray" (Black History Month feature): Jamie Foxx delivers a stellar performance as the legendary Ray Charles in this acclaimed bio-pic directed by Taylor Hackford and featuring many classic songs. Rated PG-13
- Feb. 25-26 - "The Motorcycle Diaries": Based on the diary Ernesto "Che" Guevara kept as a medical student on a journey taken with a friend around South America, this film is both a love letter to this continent and a call to activism. Starring Gael Garcia Bernal and directed by Walter Salle. Spanish with subtitles. Rated R
- March 25-26 - "Stage Beauty": Set in the 1660s, Edward Kynastoni is England's most celebrated leading lady. But when Charles II allows real women to tread the boards, men no longer are needed to play women's parts. Ned becomes a nobody virtually overnight. Starring Billy Crudup and Claire Danes. Rated R
- April 8-9 - "Closer": An intriguing story of passion, drama, love, and abandonment involving two couples only gets more complicated when the man from the first couple gets acquainted with the woman from the second. Directed by Mike Nichols and starring Jude Law and Julia Roberts. Rated R
- April 29-30 - "Finding Neverland": Johnny Depp stars as author J.M. Barrie in this story detailing the experiences that lead him to write the children's classic, "Peter Pan." Kate Winslet plays the mother of a troop of boys who don't want to grow up after losing their father. Rated PG
